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breaking news

Jay Cutler shows he’s what the Miami Dolphins need this season

Jay Cutler showed pocket poise throughout his playing time against the Eagles. (AP)

PHILADELPHIA—For all the time he missed while playing pickup basketball at Vanderbilt and throwing with his kids in the backyard, Jay Cutler is right where the Dolphins need him to be as they hit the homestretch of the preseason.

He wasn’t great in Thursday’s game against the Eagles, but there were signs that he’s on track. The whole week, beginning with two joint practices, seems like it was the cram session Cutler needed as he tries to catch up by the opener. He completed 5 of 8 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, exiting early in the second quarter with a 21-14 lead.

“I think this week sped things up a little bit because you got some more game-like situations practicing against them,” he said. “I was able to speed up my clock. Normally where i would be if–Well, there’s no real normal because I’ve never sat out this much football, so it’s kind of a learning curve for me.”

Cutler hit a few snags, including a lost fumble to end the opening drive, but coach Adam Gase saw enough in five drives to be satisfied with his quarterback’s grip on what’s still a relatively new situation. It’s easy to forget that Cutler’s been a Miami Dolphin for exactly 18 days.

During that time, though, he’s already established rapport with his passing targets. He got Julius Thomas more involved in practice this week and used him in the red zone for a one-yard touchdown pass.

He went long to DeVante Parker for the second week in a row, further clarifying that Parker’s a weapon he intends to use often. Late in the first quarter, as space was shrinking up front, Cutler launched one to Parker down the right sideline. Parker had maybe a half-step on cornerback Ronald Darby, made a nice adjustment to catch the ball, then regained his footing and made it 72 yards before the Eagles dragged him down at the two-yard line.

“I just kind of threw it out there,” Cutler said. “You just don’t want to overthrow him. That’s my biggest thing with a lot of these guys: Just don’t overthrow him, and give him a chance to play the ball.”

Cutler had a feel for Kenny Stills’ speed in Tuesday’s practice, and Stills got over the top of Philadelphia’s defense for what could’ve been a 43-yard touchdown at the start of the second quarter.

Cutler underthrew the ball instead of hitting Stills in stride in the end zone, a forgivable timing error in August, which allowed Darby to catch up to him in and commit pass interference.

“I think he was a little surprised he got down the field that fast,” Gase said. “Kenny got down the field pretty fast. He didn’t think he’d be that far down the field that fast.”

Cutler also found Jarvis Landry open in the middle of the field during an emergency just like Ryan Tannehill used to, connecting for 17 yards.

All that’s left is for him to sync up with Jay Ajayi, who could become a favorite target given Cutler’s frequent dump-offs to Matt Forte over the years in Chicago. Ajayi wasn’t very involved in the passing game, but rushed nine times for 53 yards and two touchdowns.

Most importantly, given the forecast for Miami’s offensive line right now, Cutler looked at ease behind an offensive line that comes with no guarantee of protection.

“It seems like his pocket presence is coming back pretty quick,” Gase said. “He made some nice step-ups and kinda sliding and finding some lanes. It was a step in the right direction. Last week he was still kinda of feeling his way out, but now I think he looks more comfortable.”

The Dolphins had four of their projected opening day starters in with Cutler, and the left guard spot remains to be determined. Mike Pouncey was at center for the first time since November and looked good, but there were issues elsewhere.

The tackles, two guys this team rarely worries about, each let a defensive end run free toward Cutler. Philadelphia’s Vinny Curry raced past Laremy Tunsil for the strip-sack that wrecked the opening possession. Ja’Wuan James is fighting through a shoulder injury, so that likely factored into his performance.

And considering the trouble Miami’s having trying to pick a left guard, it was a tense moment when right guard Jermon Bushrod left with an injury in the middle of the first quarter. He returned after missing one play and was pushed deep into the backfield on his first snap back.

Through all of it, Cutler kept his poise. The most convincing evidence came on back-to-back passes in the first quarter, starting on a third down when he stepped up to his right as James was getting beat and hit Stills for 15 yards.

The next play was the deep ball to Parker. Cutler released the ball almost immediately after he got the snap, mitigating any pressure that might have materialized.

Cutler will surely get sharper over the next two weeks, and he’ll need to be, but this was a clear indicator that he’s got a handle on what this job entails.